[blindlaw] side question re ABBYY FineReader RE: Looking for tech tools for blind attorneys

[Bill Spiry]

I'm curious in ABBYY Finereader, I'm still using 10 but find it impossible
to turn column recognition on/off without a sighted assistant. Long ago with
and earlier version, I had the option to recognize columns in the scanning
dialog box but it went away in version 10. This is a challenge when scanning
pleadings, particularly with numbered lines. Finereader automatically
assumes I want columns to be be treated as a continuous text and so I get a
word conversion with all the line numbers on one page and the associated
text on the next in alternations with each page. A real PITA. Apparently
it's easy to "fix" this misconversion with vision and a mouse once it is
scanned but haven't figured out how to do it myself again.

Does the latter versions of ABBYY reintegrate this column conversion option
back into an accessible format? Thanks.


Bill Spiry
Attorney at Law
Spiry Law LLC
(541) 600-3301
Bill at SpiryLaw.com
Bill.spiry at gmail.com 

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-----Original Message-----
From: BlindLaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tim Elder
via BlindLaw
Sent: Monday, December 19, 2016 6:54 AM
To: 'Michael Hernandez' <mhernandez at just-tech.com>; BlindLaw at nfbnet.org
Cc: Tim Elder <tim at timeldermusic.com>
Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Looking for tech tools for blind attorneys

First, it is worth pointing out that a human reader should not be overlooked
as an accommodation.  As much as I love tech, there are situations where
using a human assistant is the more effective, efficient and reliable
strategy.  Second, of the four items you mentioned, I believe there are
consumer OCR tools for all but hand writing.  And I suspect there are tools
that can interpret it, but perhaps not in the automated instant manner that
most consumers might expect.  Landscape makes no difference if using an
advanced OCR engine.  Likewise, most advanced OCR engines can convert to
Excel, though I'm pretty sure you would need to tinker with the settings to
get a chart to come out correctly.  I find Abby Fine Reader to be the most
flexible of the advanced OCR tools for the price.  I also have the K1000 as
a back-up.





-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Hernandez [mailto:mhernandez at just-tech.com]
Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2016 6:55 AM
To: BlindLaw at nfbnet.org
Subject: [blindlaw] Looking for tech tools for blind attorneys

Hi All,

I hope this email finds you well. I'm researching tools we can purchase to
best assist a blind attorney. The attorney I'm researching this for is
currently using JAWS. The challenge we are having is finding a tool that
helps with landscape documents, charts, graphs and handwritten legal
documents. Nuance, which I think is the leader in OCR software, doesn't
convert hand written notes or documents very well. I did reach out to JAWS
to discuss these challenges. As I type this, I realize when I spoke with
them, I focused on charts and hand written documents and didn't bring up
landscape documents. They told me, unfortunately these are limitations with
the software and there isn't anything on the market to address those
challenges. If anyone had the time and could share any information on how
you have addressed these challenges, I would greatly appreciate any
information you can provide. My company works with Legal Non-Profits across
the US, and though I am researching this for one client, any information I
find, I would share with others, clients or not. I emailed a nationwide
listserv of Legal Non-Profits regarding this challenge, received one
response and unfortunately not with information that would help address this
challenge.

Thanks for your time and consideration responding to this email. I wish all
a Happy Holiday.

Thanks

Michael

[JUST-TECH, LLC]<https://htmlsig.com/t/000001BK9YAR>
Michael Hernandez / Director of Consulting Services JUST-TECH, LLC O.
929-277-9804
14 Pennsylvania Plaza, 9th FloorNew York, NY 10122
just-tech.com<https://htmlsig.com/t/000001BK9YAR>



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